Cherry-pitting machine.



M. E. DUNKLEY.

CHERRY PITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATIQN FILED mm. 16. 1915.

Patenteii Feb. 191, 1918 5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

M. E.DUNKLEY.

CHERRY FITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16. I915.

Patented Feb.'19,1918

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IVE. E. DUNKLEY.

CHERRY FITTING MACHINE. APPLICATION EIEEIHAN. 1a, 1915. 1 256 @5, Patented Feb. 19,1918..

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

i O Q a 0 0 O D a G O O O D 0 O O D 9 b3 O D O O O Q O O O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 7v 0 an: a an a an on a 00 0000 54 "W; I 3 i J a i I f a 4a R II-I .J I 4 25 V I Fm: Q

' M. E. DUNKLEY.

CHERRY PiTTlNG MACHiNE APPLICATION FILED JAN. Is. 1915.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

5 SHEETSy-SHEET 4- M. E. QUNKEEY.

4 QIHERRY FITTING MACHlNE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16, 1-815 1,256,885 Patented Feb.19,1918.

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' e-e' or ri in a e i r -1w CHEEE'SZ-PIT'EING IFACHENE.

To all whom it may. concern:

Be it known that L Mnnvnm'e E, Donna war, a citizen of the United States, residing; at Kalamazoo, Michigan, have invented cere tain new and useful improvements in Cherry-Fitting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in cherry-pitting machines and is an improvement in the cherry-pitting machine shown in the patent to SamuelJ. Dunhley, Serial No. 974,759, dated November 1, 1910.

The objects of this invention are:

. First,-to provide an improved machine of this type having a greatly increased capacity.

Second, to provide in cherry-pitting ma chine, improved. means for -feeding the cherries to the machine.

Third; to provide in a machine of this type, improved means for removing the pits which have been forced out of the cherries.

Father objects, and objects relating to details and economies of structure and operation, will definitely appear from the detailed description to follow. I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices and means described in the following specification. The invention is clearly defined rind pointed'out in the claims.

A structure constituting a preferred embodiment of my invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing formin a part of this specification, in which:

igure ft is a perspective view of a machine embodying my invention.

Fig-.111 is atop lanview of the machine, the'front portion hereof being broken away.

Fig, liil is a transverse sectional view taken on the line ii-25 of Fig. H.

Fig. IV is a longitudinal sectional view takenv on the irregular line 4-4: of Fig. HI.

Fi V is a detail sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. HI, showing the means for fastening the pitting plungers in the cross head.

Fig. V1 is a sectional view on the line showin in detail the Geneva stop mechanism -ior moving the drum,

llig. W1 is a sectional view taken on the irre ular line 'Z-7 of Fig. HI, showing in detail the connections for moving the lower cross head.

Fig. VH1 is a detail view in side eleva- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 31%, 1918.

Application filed January 16, 1915. Seria1No.2,552.

tion, showing the mechanism for reciprocating the feeding chute.

. Fig. Di is a view in side elevation of one of the pitting plungers.

Fig. X is an end view of the plungerv shown in Fig. 1X. t I Fig. X1 is a view in side elevation of one of the ejector plungers.

Fig, XE is a detail sectional view on the line 12-12 of Fig. 1., showing one of the anti-friction rolls supporting one end of the drum. t I

Fig. XIII is a perspective view of a modified form of pitting plunger.

In the drawing, similar reference characters refer to similar parts, and the sectional views are taken looking in the direction of the arrows at the ends of the section lines.

Considering the numbered parts of the drawing, 1, 1 are the frame members, connected by means of the cross rods 2, 2, and the cross bar 3. T he shaft 5 is suitably j ournaled in the upper ends of the frame members l, l and the driving pulley 4c is carried on said shaft 5, and provided'with a clutch a by means of which said pulley is connected and disconnected with the shaft 5.

To the end of the shaft 5, is secured the gear 6 whichis in mesh with the gear 7 car ried by the short shaft 9 which is suitably journaled in the frame member l. Shaft 9 also carries the gear 8 which is in mesh with the gear lOcarried on the shaft 11. Shaft 11 also carries the bevel gear 12 which meshes with the bevel gear 14 carried on the inclined shaft 13 suitably journaled in the bracket 13 on the frame member 1. 'The lower end of the shaft 13 is provided with an eccentric 15 which is connected by means of a link 16 with a cross bar 17, said link the machine, is secured upon the cross pieces '19, and, by means of the eccentric 15 having a drivingconnection with the driving mechanism, a lateral reciprocatory moyeinent is imparted to the chute.

22 is a revolving drum which. is provided w1th a plurality of cup-shaped cherry re-' ceiving cavities 24 on its periphery, which are of a size sutficient to receive the largest cherry upon which the machine is intended to operate. These cavities are arranged in rows and adjacent rows are preferably staggered with respect to each other. From these cherry receiving cavities, radial passages 2-1 lead to the interior of the drum and these passages are of suflicient size to permit the passage of the cherry pit therethrough. The drum 22 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 25 which is supported in the frame members, 1, 1. One end of-the drum is solid and the other end thereof is open, and the open end of the drum is provided with the rim 22 which is engaged by a plurality of anti-friction rollers 26 carried by brackets on the frame member 1. This end of the drum is supported by means of these anti-friction rollers. A pin 27 passes through the bracket and carries on its outer end the roller 26. Between the bracket and the roller is provided a washer 27 which has a downwardly directed lug 27". As will readily be seen, juice from the machine will drip down over the anti-friction rollers and would tend to gum the same were it not for the fact that the juice tends to drop off of this little lug.

To the closed end of the drum is secured a stop wheel 28 which is provided with a plurality of notches connected by means of curved surfaces. Upon the end of the shaft 9 is secured the segment 30 which engages the curved surface and an arm carrying the pin 29 which engages in the notches. By means of this Geneva stop mechanism, the drum is driven with an intermittent rotary movement.

The shaft 11 is provided with a rotating brush 31 which is located just above the rotating drum and the end of the chute 21 which feeds the cherries into the machine. This rotating brush tends to clean the cherries somewhat, to prevent their piling up at the surface of the drum, and insures that they are perfectly seated in the cavities 24.

n the shaft 5 are provided the eccentrics 32 having the yokes 33 which are pivotally connected at 35 with the arms 34 secured to the pitting plunger crosshead 37, the ends of arms 34 being suitably guided in slots 36 provided in the frame members 1. A plurality of pitting plunger-s 38 are secured in the cross head 37 and are adapted to be brought into alinement with the rows of cavities 24 in the drum 22. The pitting plungers 38 are rcmovably secured in said cross head by means of set screws 39 engaging their upper ends which havea plane surface for that purpose. The pittlng plungers 38 are grooved at their lower ends and provided witha plurality of cutting edges 38' which are upwardly directed and converge toward the center-of the shank. 40 is a bar simnorterl hv the frame members 1. 1. above the cherries the drum and provided with a plurality of openings 41 in which the lower ends of the pitting plunger 38 are guided as they move downward to engage the cherries held in the cavities below said bar, and in alinement with said openings.

To the shaft 5 is secured the gear 42 which is in mesh with a gear 43 on the stub-shaft 44, which shaft also carries a large gear a5 meshing with gear 46 on the shaft d7, which is suitably journaled in the frame member 1 and a bracket 48 carried by shaft 25. Supported by the frame member 1 and the bracket 48, near the upper inner surface of the drum, is a cylindrical pit receiving chamber 50 provided on its upper surface with a plurality of perforations with which the radial passages 24 in the periphery of the drum are brought into alinement. The pits are forced out of the cherries through the radial passages 24 and the perforations 50 into the interior of the chamber 50. The shaft 47 revolves within the chamber 50 and is provided with a spiral brush 49 which engages. the inner surface thereof. This serves to wipe the pits off the ends of the pitting plunger and to carry them, and any juice from the cherries which flows through said openings. to the outer end of the chamber and out through the spout 51.

To the end ofcross head 37 adjacent the open end of the revolving drum is connected an offset arm 52 which issecured at its lower end to the cross head 53 guided at it's ends in the slot 48 in the bracket 48 and the slot 54 in the bracket 54 carried by the frame member 1. Crosshead 53 carries a plurality of ejector plungers 55 having a smooth shank with the lower end thereof beveled, and said ejector plungers pass through the radial passages 24 and force the cherries out of the cavities 24 into the delivery chute 56 by which they are carried away. The ejector plungers 55 are secured in the cross head 53 by means of set screws 39' in the same manner as the pitting plungers 38.

From the description of the parts given above, the operation of the structure should be very readily understood. Cherries are delivered to the chute 21 which is moved back and forth laterally by means of the eccentric 15 connected to the supports for said chute. The shaking movement which is imparted to the chute 2l serves to scatter throughout the width thereof so that they are delivered 'to the revolving drum 22 throughout the length thereof. The chute 21 delivers the cherries to the surface of the revolving drum and the revolving brush 31 serves to keep the cherries from pilingon the surface of the drum and'also aids in seating a cherry in each of the cup like cavities 24. As stated above, the drum is moved with an intermittent rotarv movehalf the eccentrics as to the surface of said shaped cavities step ment and carries the cherries in the cupby step until they are brought to rest in alinement with the openings ii in the cross bar 40 and with the pitting plungers 38. At this point the plunger cross head 37 carrying the pitting plungers 'is depressed by means of the eccentrics 32 and the pitting plungers enter the cherries and force the pits from the same through the passages 24 and 50 into the interior 0 the chamber 50 where the pits and the juice coming from the cherries are carried by the spiral brush 49 to the outer end of the chamher and out through the spout 51. The brush 4.9 wipes the pits from the ends of the pitting plungers and prevents them from being carried back with the plungers. he cross head 37 is provided with three rows of plungers so that at each movement of the cross head the cherries in three rows of cavities are pitted. This increases the capacity of the machine greatly over the old machine, in which but a single row of cherries is pitted at each movement of the plunger cross head. The cherries are retainedin the cuplike cavities and carried forward by the in termittent movement of the drum until a. revolution is completed. when they are brought into alinernent with the ejector plun 'ers 55 carried by the cross head 53. As t e passages 2% come into aline. out with said ejector plungers and stop Jnere, the cross head 53 is depressed by niea ns of 32 which are connected thereto by the ofiset arm 52, and said ejector plunger-s pass through the passages 53 i and force the cherries out of the cup-shaped cavities 24: into the delivery chute 56.

In Fig. Xlll l have illustrated a modified form of pitting plunger in which the shank is smooth and a plurality of needle points 38 are inserted into the lower end thereof in position to engage the cherries and force the pits therefrom.

I am aware that the particular embodiment here set'forth is susceptible of considerable variation without departing from the spirit of my invention and, therefore, 1 do not wish to be restricted to the same. l: have found, however, that this form is to be referred and, therefore, 1 desire to claim the same specifically as well as broadly as indicated by my appended claims.

.Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by ters Patent, is:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of frame members; a rotatably mounted hollow drum; means for imrting intermittent rotary movement to said drum, said drum being provided with a plurality of rows of cherry receiving cavities each having a pit discharging opening through the drum; means to deliver cherries hollow drum; cross what Let-

' substantially as see plurality of rows of pitting for reciprocating said cross is; a cross plurality of head carrying a plungers; means head at predetermined interva head inside the drum carrying a rows of ejector plungers; an arm connecting said cross heads whereby they move together; a pit receiving chamber within said hollow drum near the upper part thereof; a plurality of rows of perforations in the upper part of said chamber disposed to permit the passage therethrouo'h, of the pits forced from the cherries by the pitting plungers; a shaft within said chamber; a spiral brush on said shaft; and means for driving said shaft, all coacting substantially as described for the purpose specified.

2. in a machine of the class described, the combination of frame members; a hollow drum rotatably mounted thereon, said drum being provided with a plurality of rows of cherry receiving cavities; rods extending between said frame members; cross heads'slidably mounted on said rods; an eccentric and driving connections for the same; a link connecting said eccentric with said cross head; and a chute supported on said cross head and disposed to deliver cherries to the surface of said hollow drum, all coacting described for the purpose specified.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of frame members; a rotatably mounted hollow drum provided with rows of cherry receiving cavities; rods extending between said frame members; cross heads slidably mounted on said rods; a chute supported on said cross heads and disposed to eliver cherries to the surface of said hollow drum; and means for imparting lateral reciprocatory movement to said cross heads.

i. In a machine of the class described, the combination of frame members; a rotatably mounted hollow drum provided with a plurality of rows of cherry receiving cavities; a chute slidably supported from said frame members and disposed to deliver cherries to the surface of said hollow drum; and means for imparting reciprocatory movement laterally to said chute.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a rotatably mounted hollow drum provided with a plurality of cherry receiving cavities, each having a pit discharging opening through the drum, means for driving said drum with an intermittent movement, aplurality of pitting plungers, means for actuating said pitting plungcrs, a pit receiving chamber within said hollow drum provided with a plurality of perforations disposed to permit the passage therethrough of the pits forced from the cherries by the pitting plungers, a shaft Within said chamber, a spiral brush on said shaft disposed to coact with said plunger-s within said chamber, and means for driving said shaft.

I 6. In a machine of the class descrihed, the combinatibn of a rotatably mounted hollow drum provided with a plurality of cherry receiving cavities, each having a pit discharging opening through the drum means for driving said drum with an intermittent movement, a plurality of pitting plungers, means for actuating said pitting plungers, a pit receiving chamber Within said hollow drum provided with a plurality of perforations disposed to permit the passage ther through of the pits forced from the cherries by the pitting plungers, means Within said chamber for Wiping the pits from the pitting plungers and carrying them to the discharge end of the chamber.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a rotatably mounted hollow drum provided with a plurality of cherry receiving cavities, each having a pit discharging opening through the drum, means for driving said drum with an intermittent movement, a plurality of pitting plunger-s, means for actuating said pitting plunger-s, a pit receiving cl'zaniher Within said hollow drum provided with a plurality of perforations disposed to permit the passage therethrough of the pits forced from the cherries by the pitting plungers, a shaft Within said chamber, a spiral brush with a spiral bladelike backing on said shaft, disposed to coact with said plunger-s Within said chamber, and means for driving said shat,

8. In a machine of the class described, the

combination of a rotatably mounted drum provided with cherry receiving cavities, each having" a pit discharging opening through said drum, means for driving the drum with an intermittent. movement, a plurality of pitting piungers, means for actuating said pitting plungers to force the pits Within the said drum, a revolving spiral brush means for removing the projecting pits, means for driving the same at a relatively high speed to act on the pits and tend to avoid the flow of juice from the said cherries, coacting as specified.

in a machine of th class described, the combination of a cherry supporting means provided with cherry receiving cavities, each having a pit discharging opening at the bottom thereof, plurality of pitting plunger-s disposed to act upon the cherries and cause the pits to protrude through the side of the cherry and through the pit discharging opening, and rotary brush means timed to revolve at high speed to act on the said protruding pits and completely discharge the same and tend to avoid the flow or juice, coacting as specified.

in Witness whereof, i have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two witnesses,

MELHLLE DUNKLEY. a s.]

3 n B. Jeanine,

v. vi 

